Centuries-old caravanserais ceded to private sector

TEHRAN – Two caravanserais in Semnan Province, north central Iran, were ceded to the private sector by auction late last week with the aim of making the best use of such centuries-old heritage sites, CHTN reported on Wednesday.

The caravanserais were handed over to private investors for a span of 20 years under contracts for restoration, maintenance and operation, said Hossein khajehbid-Derakhti who presides over the province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department.

Named Damghan Shah Abbasi Caravanserai and Miyandasht Caravanserai, the properties are owned by the Revitalization and Utilization Fund for Historical Places (known by its Persian acronym Saabta).

A scheme initiated by the Saabta lays out opportunity for privately-owned businesses to run certain old structures in order to be maintained and repurposed into hotels, traditional restaurants or lodging places.

The country is home to many old mansions and historical buildings, which can buttress its budding tourism and hospitality sectors if managed appropriately and refurbished properly.